Gaining Weight In The Winter? How To Manage It Through Simple Dietary Changes

In winter, many people like to curl up in a blanket, enjoy hot, tasty foods and quietly skip workouts. Weight gain is extremely common in this season because of reduced physical activity and an increase in high-calorie winter meals. Since we feel hungrier, it’s often seen that we end up eating more sugary and calorie-dense foods in colder months. Additionally, weight gain is usual in winter because the festival and marriage seasons are at their peak, and we tend to eat more.

Deepika Dua Arora, a therapeutic dietitian and founder of Mutation Diet Clinic, Delhi, shares that it is important to eat the right food, not “mess” food. She suggests adding sugar-free desserts at dinner to avoid intense sweet cravings later. “You can include carrot halwa,

kesar milk, makhana kheer, etc. Aim to balance your meals with proper carbohydrates in the first half of the day – think a savoury breakfast, then a good lunch and a lighter, mindful dinner,” she says.

We usually tend to eat heavy meals for dinner, like saag with makki roti, biryani or chicken rice. To enjoy these “cheat” combinations, try shifting them to breakfast or lunch instead of late at night.

Deepika says, “Have 6 proper and correctly planned meals in a day. Include a substantial evening snack like makhana, nuts, low-calorie murmura or popcorn when you return from the office, because that is the time when cravings are at their peak.”

Try to have good carbs in the first half of the day, a satisfying evening snack, and lean protein such as tofu, soya, eggs, chicken, besan, kala chana, flax seeds, amaranth, singhara, etc., along with vegetables at dinner. For dinner, eat at a reasonable time and follow it with a sugar-free, low-calorie dessert.

“Losing or managing weight in winter is not only about appearance,” says Deepika, adding, “It’s crucial for health too, because many health issues – like high BP, gut problems, sugar fluctuations, heart issues and fatty liver – tend to flare up in colder weather.” If these are not addressed correctly, they can lead to adverse effects.

If you eat properly, it becomes easier to sustain your weight without suppressing your hunger while still having the energy to do your daily routine without irritability. The goal is to lose fat with correct eating so that you can stay healthy and truly enjoy your winters.